Gladius and Scabbard

Object/Artifact

-

Trimontium Museum

Name/Title

Gladius and Scabbard

Entry/Object ID

L.2021.2

Description

Gladius (legionary infantry sword) of the Mainz type with surviving wooden grip/hilt assembly. Bronze triangular scabbard chape with remnants of tinning.

Use

Used for warfare, defense and offensive measures.

Context

Along with the other Gladius found at the site, this Roman sword found in Germany is similar to the swords found at the Pit near the Baths at Trimontium. This would have been the sword types used by the Roman Legionaries, differing from the auxiliary forces which carried the longer Spatha swords.

Collection

HvG

Category

Sword
Military Equipment & Weaponry

Acquisition

Source (if not Accessioned)

Holger von Grawert

Notes

Loan

Made/Created

Time Period

1st - 2nd century

Place

Region

Central Europe

Continent

Europe

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Continent

Europe

Culture/Tribe

Roman

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Gladius

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Sword

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Edged Weapons

Nomenclature Class

Armaments

Nomenclature Category

Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology

Getty AAT

Concept

swords

Material

Iron, Wood

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Web Links and URLs

James Curle's notes on the Galdius (pg 183-186)

Provenance

Notes

Found during river dredging in the Rhine near Eich (Germany) in 1969/70 . Published and recorded by the local museums (Speyer and Mainz). Exhibited at Museum der Pfalz (Speyer) and Carnuntinum Museum (Bad Deutsch-Altenburg – Austria). Previous ownership K. Reiss (Deidesheim).

Exhibition

Permanent Exhibition

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Caption

Label

A legionary was armed with a javelin (pilum) and a sword, and carried a dagger (pugio) for emergencies. In the first and early second century AD, the preferred sword type was the gladius, a short stabbing weapon suitable for fighting in tight formation. During the second century, a longer slashing sword, the spatha, became popular as fighting styles changed.